Non-WFU Study Away Program

FAQ

I want to study abroad. What do I do first?

Your first stop must be the Center for Global Studies. You will be advised about your study abroad options and can find program materials.

What kind of credit will I receive for my non-Wake study abroad?

In the same way that you must have prior approval to take summer school classes elsewhere, you must get your study abroad courses approved by the appropriate department chair.

The following divisionals cannot be taken outside of Wake Forest:

You can take these courses to fulfill major/minor requirements if so approved by the department.

Please note that a course which has been approved for 500-level credit will count as an elective in that particular major/minor department. A course that has been awarded 520-level credit will not count toward the major/minor – it will only count toward the credits/hours you need to graduate. If a 500-level course is to count toward a specific area requirement in your major/minor rather than in the electives toward the major/minor, the department chair will need to make a special note of this on your approval form so that the Office of the University Registrar can make a manual exception on your Workday Academic Progress Report.

There are many departments that limit the number of courses that can be brought into the major/minor from outside of Wake Forest. It does not matter how many major/minor courses you have approved, you may not be able to have them all count in your major/minor. If you are planning to bring more than two courses into your major/minor you need to check with the department to make sure you are able to do so. “Outside of Wake” would include non-Wake abroad, summer school elsewhere, transfer, AP, IB or prior college level courses for which you may have received credit.

How do I receive proper credit for my courses?

First of all, make sure that you are taking a full course load by your abroad institutions standards, and that you are only taking those courses which you have gotten pre-approved. If you find out once you are abroad that some of your pre-approved courses aren’t available, contact the Center for International Studies and email the appropriate department chair for his/her approval.

Students sometimes enroll in a course that was not previously approved once they are abroad, depending on course availability or interest. Please take a copy of the courses you had pre-approved with you for reference!

In the event that you enroll in a course that was not approved on your pre-approval sheet, please do the following:

  1. Email the Study Abroad Advisor to find out if the course has been approved in their database.
  2. If the course has been approved in the database, please email the Office of the University Registrar to have this approval added to your form.
  3. If the course is not in the database, you will need to send a copy of the Email Approval Form to the appropriate department chair, the International Studies Office, and the Registrar. Be sure to include a copy of the course description and syllabus if possible. Copies of the Email Approval Form are available from the International Studies Office.
  4. Once the department chair has evaluated the course she will respond to you, the Center for International Studies Office, and the Registrar then the form will be kept in your file in both offices. You should also print and save a copy for your own records.

The Office of the University Registrar must receive an official transcript from your study abroad program. Please request that study abroad transcripts be sent to:

Office of the University Registrar
Wake Forest University
PO Box 7207
Winston-Salem NC 27109-7207

What is the ABO 100 course on my WFU transcript?

While students are abroad on non-Wake Forest programs they are registered in a pass/fail course called ABO 100. During the fall and spring semesters this course is worth 12 hours, and during the summer this course is worth 6 hours. We enroll students in this course so that we can verify full-time student status.

You will notice that this course will appear on your grade report and in Workday Academic Progress Report, but please be assured that as soon as your transcript from the study abroad institution is received the ABO 100 course will be removed from your record and your actual courses and credits will be reported.

What is required of me once I am abroad?

Once you are abroad, please contact the International Studies Office and the Office of the University Registrar. You should send a copy of your course schedule to Registrar@wfu.edu (please put Abroad in the subject line) to ensure that you are only taking courses that have been pre-approved.

Be sure to either set up a forwarding account on your Wake Forest email address or regularly check your WFU email through mailman if you plan to use a different account. When it comes time to register for the next term you will be notified through email to your WFU account.

Please remember that upon your return to campus you will need to deactivate these services.

What if I enroll in a course that was not pre-approved?

Students sometimes enroll in a course that was not previously approved once they are abroad, depending on course availability or interest. Please take a copy of your preapproved courses for reference while abroad.
In the event that you enroll in a course that was not approved on your pre-approval sheet, please do the following:

  1. Contact the International Studies Advisor to find out if the course has been approved in their database.
  2. If the course has been approved in the database, please email the Office of the University Registrar to have this approval added to your form.
  3. If the course is not in the database, you will need to send a copy of the Email Approval Form to the appropriate department chair, the International Studies Office, and the Registrar. Be sure to include a copy of the course description and syllabus if possible. Copies of the Email Approval Form are available from the International Studies Office.
  4. Once the department chair has evaluated the course she will respond to you, the Center for International Studies Office, and the Registrar then the form will be kept in your file in both offices. You should also print and save a copy for your own records.

What if I want to overload while abroad?

If you think that you may want to take more than the equivalent of 17 hours while you are abroad for one semester, you MUST consult the Dean’s Office before you leave campus.

The Office of the University Registrar can only award you a maximum of 17 hours without permission from the Dean’s Office.

How do I register while abroad?

Registration while you are studying abroad is not as difficult as you might expect…

The first thing you should do to ensure that you do not miss out on important information about registration is to regularly check your WFU email account while abroad.

Check your email frequently during March (spring) or October (fall) for important registration information. The course schedule and important dates for are sent out during these months. You can also find them on the registrar website. Please make sure your mailbox is not full. If it is, we cannot get through to you and you will not know these important dates and times.

Prior to registration, complete your student onboarding tasks found in Workday inbox to remove your student onboarding hold. In addition, contact your primary advisor to have your advising hold removed. Check your account for any additional holds. (Go to Workday -> View Profile -> Action Items and Holds). If you have a hold on your account you will not be able to register any classes. Only the office that places a hold on your account can remove the hold.

You will be notified about registration via email in plenty of time to plan your schedule. You can find course offerings by going to Workday -> Search for “Find Course Sections” -> Academic Period.

Directions for registering in Workday:

  1. Complete all student onboarding tasks.
  2. Contact primary advisor to have advising hold removed.
  3. Log into to Workday, and type in the search bar “Find Course Sections”.
  4. Select appropriate prompt values and click OK.
  5. Find open and eligible course sections.
  6. Click on the course title and register.
  7. If you receive an error message, it will specify why you are not allowed to register for a class.

If you have any problems or questions concerning registration while abroad, you can contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Can I declare a major while abroad?

It is up to each individual department whether they will allow a student to declare a major or minor while abroad. You should contact your prospective departments administrative assistant to find out their policy. You must be classified as a second-semester sophomore to declare a major.

If you are accepted into the course of study, the department should include your name on the list of new majors that is sent to the Assistant Registrar. This way the department will have access to your record when it comes time to register.

What if I decide to stay abroad another semester?

If you decide once you’re abroad that you’d like to stay on another semester, it is your responsibility to email the appropriate people here on campus, namely the Center for International Studies, your adviser, the Dean’s Office, Financial Aid, Financial & Accounting Services, Residence Life & Housing, and the Office of the University Registrar.

After you have contacted the Center for International Studies, it is also your responsibility to contact the appropriate department chairs to get their approval for the courses you’d like to take and forward these approvals on to the Office of the University Registrar. Please contact the Office of the University Registrar or the Study Abroad Advisor for a copy of the email course approval form.

Where should my transcript be sent?

Please keep in mind that with some study abroad programs you must specifically request that your transcript be sent to your home institution, while other programs will automatically send a copy once your grades have been processed. Make sure that you know your program policy.

Once an official transcript has been received by the Office of the University Registrar, your WFU record will be updated and you will receive an email notifying you to check your records. The email will also inform you of any courses that were not pre-approved and give instructions for seeking a post approval.

If you have not heard from the Office of the University Registrar, chances are your transcript has not arrived. Contact the office if you have any questions. If your transcript has not arrived within 3 months after your return, it is advisable to contact your study abroad program and specifically request your transcript. Please remember that it is your responsibility to have your transcript sent to the WFU Office of the University Registrar. The Office of the University Registrar will expect an official transcript from any student who has completed the study abroad process.

All Study Abroad transcripts should be sent to:

Wake Forest University
Office of the University Registrar
P.O. Box 7207
Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7207

Don’t forget to take a copy of your pre-approved courses with you for reference.

For further information please contact Global Studies & Programs 336.758.5938 or the Office of the University Registrar 336.758.5207.